Three Finalists Named to Succeed Selig as MLB Commissioner

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, MLB has picked three finalists to replace Bud Selig as commissioner starting next season. They might not be household names right now, but one of these guys will likely be the next commissioner.

MLB’s chief operating officer Rob Manfred and MLB’s executive vice president of business Tim Brosnan join Boston Red Sox chairman Tom Werner as finalists. If one of the three acquires the 23 necessary votes of MLB clubs later this month, he will become the next commissioner.

Manfred, who is Selig’s hand-picked option, seems to be the front-runner right now. But he is not without opposition. The popular pick among clubs may very well be Werner, who has served as the Red Sox chairman since 2002. He has a good relationship with owner John Henry, who is well liked around baseball circles.

If Manfred were to become the next commissioner, he would be seen as an extension of the Selig era. While Selig himself has been a decent commissioner, he’s also had a fair share of issues in a tenure that is the second longest in MLB history behind only Kenesaw Mountain Landis.